As Kansas works to land a $4 billion advanced manufacturing facility — run by a company state officials are barred from identifying — context clues could shed light on who is considering the state for a 3 million-square-foot, 4,000-job development.

One possibility for the mega–project, movement on which began with an RFP about 10 months ago, is an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant. Other similar proposals from global industry players — including plants under construction in Ohio and Tennessee — mirror the magnitude of the proposed plant. Kansas is a finalist for the facility, along with Tulsa, Senate President Ty Masterson said last week.

Another potential use for the facility could involve an aerospace manufacturing facility.

And where could such a facility call home? One site in Johnson County may fill the bill perfectly.

An industry of interest

In October, South Korean battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution Ltd. and Netherlands-based automaker Stellantis announced plans to form a joint venture and anticipated a second-quarter groundbreaking for a North American battery manufacturing plant.

Upon its targeted start of operations in 2024, that facility will supply batteries to Stellantis assembly plants throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico, for installation in plug-in hybrid and full-battery electric vehicles to be sold under the company’s family of brands: Dodge, Fiat, Ram, Jeep, Chrysler, Citroën and Peugeot.